The Great Grid Upgrade comprises 17 major infrastructure projects that are helping to connect more clean, secure energy to homes and businesses across England and Wales. But why are these upgrades needed, and what exactly will be happening?
Why we’re upgrading the grid
The UK’s electricity grid was originally built to connect electricity generated in power stations from fossil fuels, such as coal from the North and Midlands of England and South Wales.
As the UK moves away from fossil fuels and increases clean energy generation, we’ll all be using more electricity than ever before. Demand for electricity is expected to increase by 50% by 2035 and double by 2050, as we decarbonise the energy that’s used for things like heating and transport.
So significant new infrastructure is needed to connect this clean energy from where it’s generated to where it’s needed.
How we’re upgrading the grid
To carry this clean energy from where it’s generated – like out in the North Sea by wind turbines – to homes and businesses, we need to build new electricity transmission infrastructure, as well as upgrading existing infrastructure.
The UK has committed to connect 40GW of offshore wind to the electricity grid by 2030, making 50GW in total to meet government targets. That’s nearly enough to power every home in Great Britain* and is equivalent to taking 5.2 million petrol or diesel cars off the road, or the carbon absorption of 509 million trees over one year.**
Our network of cables, pylons and substations will need to transmit this renewable energy, as the existing infrastructure simply doesn't have the capacity to transport the volume of energy that will be generated offshore. As a result, we need to upgrade our onshore electricity network.
Why are we building new infrastructure as well as upgrading existing infrastructure?
In some areas we’ll be able to upgrade the infrastructure that already exists. In other areas, we'll need to install new wires, cables and pylons.
All of this is to ensure that there’s sufficient capacity to transport the required amounts of electricity, to make sure everyone in England and Wales has access to clean, secure energy.
What will upgrading the UK’s energy system mean for you?
Our electricity grid has served us for almost 90 years now. However, as we move from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources this grid, the grid needs an upgrade. How will this happen and what will it mean for you?
How is the UK’s electricity grid being transformed?
The way electricity is used in the UK is constantly and rapidly changing. Combined with work towards clean energy goals, things never stand still for our electricity grid. So, how are we making sure our system is future proof?
Fact or fiction: is clean energy too expensive and not reliable?
There are lots of myths surrounding clean energy – here we separate fact from fiction.
Keep up to date
The largest overhaul of the electricity grid in generations is big news. So why not pop the kettle on and catch up with what we’ve been up to?
* British energy security strategy - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
**National Grid Market Fundamentals analysis
¹UK becomes first major economy to pass net zero emissions law -GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
²Make-Britain-a-Clean-Energy-Superpower (labour.org.uk)